The Making of the Union Flag

St George - England
The National Flag of England

England is represented by the flag of St. George

-----------------------------------------------In 1194 A.D., Richard I of England introduced the Cross of St. George, a red cross on a
white ground, as the National Flag of England.
At this point in the story on the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales and
Ireland were separate countries. However, this was soon to change....
In 1536, under Henry VIII, an Act of Union was passed making Wales, in effect
a province of England.

The Making of the Union Flag

St Andrew - Scotland

The National Flag of Scotland

Scotland is represented by the flag of St. Andrew

(a diagonal white cross form (called a saltire) on a blue field)
-----------------------------------------------After Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland inherited
the English throne and became King James I of England. It was a Union of the Crowns,
but not yet of the nations. Each country still kept their own parliaments.
Early in his reign James attempted to combine England and Scotland in a united
kingdom of 'Great Britain'. This was the policy he presented to his first Parliament,
called on 22 March 1604. The union was resisted.
James defied them. On 20 October 1604 he proclaimed a new title for himself as 'King
of Great Britain'.
But what flag should be used?
A problem arose, which flag should be hoisted on the king's ships. English sailors
resented the Scottish colours
and the Scots scorned the cross of St. George
In 1606 the problem was solved ........

. A compromise was the answer and it led to the creation of the first Union Flag.
On 12 April 1606, the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use at
sea, thus making the first Union 'Jack'. Ashore however, the old flags of England and
Scotland continued to be used by their respective countries.
A royal decree declared that the ships of the Kingdom of Great Britain "shall bear on
their maintops the red cross, commonly called St. George's cross, and the white cross,
commonly called St. Andrew's cross."

The first Union Flag (1606)

When the red cross of England was put onto the flag of Scotland, a white border was
added around the red cross for reasons of heraldry. (The rules of heraldry demanded that
two colours must never touch each other.)
On 28th July, 1707, during the reign of Queen Anne, this flag was by royal
proclamation made the National flag of Great Britain, for use ashore and afloat.
The Act of Union of 1707, joined England and Scotland together, creating a
single kingdom with a single Parliament called 'United Kingdom of Great
Britain'.
England Wales and Scotland were now united together under one monarch and
one parliament.
The Royal Navy christened the British flag " The Union".
Interesting Fact:
When the 'Union Flag' was first introduced, in 1606, it was known simply as
'the British flag' or 'the flag of Britain'.
Nearly one hundred years later, another country was added to the Union flag ....

The Making of the Union Flag

Northern Ireland - St Patrick

Ireland is represented by the cross of St. Patrick

(a diagonal red cross on a white background.)
-----------------------------------------------On 1 January 1801, Ireland was united with Great Britain and it became necessary to
have a new National Flag in which Ireland was represented. The cross St Patrick was
combined with the Union Flag of St George and St Andrew, to create the Union Flag
that has been flown ever since.

The cross of St. Patrick was inserted so the position given to St. Andrew's Cross in one
quarter was the same as that given to the Irish one in the diagonally opposite quarter; in
heraldry this is known as "counterchanging"

The Union Flag with the St. George's Cross removed showing how the saltires (diagonal
crosses) are counterchanged.
The 'new' British flag is not symmetrical because of the counterchange.
As Scotland joined the Union nearly two hundred years before Ireland, St Andrew's
Cross was placed uppermost in the top quarter nearest the flagstaff, this being the most
honourable position according to heraldry, while the Irish Cross was given the second
most honourable position, the top quarter of the fly.
In order to avoid having the red of the Irish Cross directly upon the blue field of the
Scottish one an edging of the white field of the Irish Cross is used.
The symbols of Scotland and Ireland are placed sided by side on the Union Flag.
England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland were now all joined together and called
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The name was later changed
to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland when the greater part
of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1921.
NB. The St. Patrick's Cross remains in the flag even though today only Northern Ireland
is part of the United Kingdom.